The snow is coming just in time for Crested Butte’s first big mountain comp of the season. Junior athletes and teams from around Colorado and New Mexico will descend on Crested Butte for the first IFSA Regional competition in the Central Region of the year this Saturday and Sunday (February 1-2). The CBMST Freeride kicked off the competition season at the Snowbird IFSA National just 2 weekends ago and is looking to build on that momentum this weekend on their own stomping grounds.
Photo Courtesy of IFSA
Brittany and Josie warming up in the sun before Day 1. Photo: Will Dujardin
At Snowbird, the snow was low and the stoke was high to start the season off right. Brittany Barefield led the CBMST with a team-best 6th place after scoring the 3rd-best run in the finals for the 15-18 Women’s division. Josie Byron was close behind in 9th place out of the 28 girls who started the event. The girls have already shown major strides of improvement from last year by hitting “Standard” air on Silver Fox in the finals, which is standard for the adults in their runs on the famed venue.
Patrick Curvin and Bill Klein wanted in on the action, too, finishing in 11th and 16th in the 15-18 Boys, respectively, with the 10th and 12th best runs in the finals, respectively. Patrick stayed smooth and skied cleanly throughout the comp, this man-child sophomore at the Community School is a force to be reckoned with. Bill, a senior from Gunnison, was stoked with his performance in his first big mountain competition ever, as were his coaches at the event, Will Dujardin and Ryan Hoinacky.
Oz Scott crushed this air waaaaay out of the frame. Photo: Billy Swan / IFSA
Oz Scott, a junior from CB, laid down some of his most impressive skiing to date by earning 5th on day 1 in Rasta Chutes, but found disappointment in the finals when his binding released before his final air in lower Silver Fox. Now he’s got the binding issues sorted out and is looking for some redemption right here in Crested Butte this weekend.
There will be a new age category at Regional events this year; the U-12 category will include 10 and 11 year olds in big mountain competition for the first time. Local grom shredders like Gus Bullock, Brooks Hudson, and Kye Matlock among others are chomping at the bit with excitement about this opportunity, and we can’t wait to watch these kids destroy the unconfirmed Hawks Nest and Headwall venues. With older athletes mentioned above and the likes of Lane Griffin, Matthew Harper-Johnston, and Peter Landry to show them the way, the CBMST is looking protect it’s house at Crested Butte Mountain Resort this weekend. Get out and watch these shredders, they’re the future of our sport!
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